The Graduate Certificate Program in Climate Change Policy and Management is designed to provide students with the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills for professional positions involved in identifying, understanding, and responding to challenges from climate change.

The international community is beginning to come to grips with the extraordinary challenges that climate change presents. These include, inter alia, transitions to renewable energy, increasing energy efficiency, adapting to widespread drought, flooding, wildfires, agricultural failure, and rising sea levels, and supporting people displaced from their homes and livelihoods. The intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has noted that to attain climate change goals set by the governments of the world’s countries will require “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.”

The program offers a grounding in the science of climate change and its effects, and training in related areas of policy and management that are seeing increasing demand. It is appropriate both for early professionals and mid-career students. It can be taken concurrently with another WMU graduate program or as a stand-alone program.

 

Admission Requirements

1. Completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
2. Submission of a letter of intent explaining the applicant’s relevant background and stating interests and academic and professional goals.
3. Submission of two letters of recommendation from persons able to evaluate the applicant’s potential for graduate study.

 

Recommendations

The program required two recommendations. Please send email requests from within the online system.

 

Written statement

Please prepare a statement which covers the following information and attach it within the online application:

Provide a statement of your relevant background and your intended academic and professional objectives and areas for specialization. The statement should be double-spaced and between 600 and 1200 words.

 

Previous written work

The program does not require any previous written work to be submitted.

 

Other program materials

Please attach official transcripts describing all post-high school academic experience. A transcript for work completed at Western Michigan University is not required. You may submit a resume describing your professional experience.